Process of and apparatus for sizing comminuted material.



H. M. SUTTON w. L.& E. G. STEELE.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOB. SIZING GOMMINUTED MATERIAL.

AYPLIOATION IILBDSEPT. 18, 1913.

1, 1 1 9,662. Patented Dec. 1, 19m

2 EHEBTSSHBET l.

amem mw H. M. SUTTON & W. L. & E. G. STEELE. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIZING OOMMINUTED MATERIAL APPLICATION FILED SEPT.18,1913. 1,1 19,662 Patented Dec.1,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A a f llhlllllltltt @TATEh ?ATENT @FFHEE HENRY M. SUTTON, HALTER L. STEELE, AND EDWIlil G. STEELE, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIZING COMMINUWED MATERIAL.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, laid.

Original application filed July 21, 1913, Serial No. 780,360. Divided and this application filed September 18, 1913. Serial No. 799,496.

To all whom it may concern of the material. regardless of any ditt'erenee in specific gravity f the particles constituting tlie cou'uninuted material and coinprises a division of our application, Serial Number 750,360 filed July 2 1913, whereby the particles can be classified according to size and discharged from the apparatus in different receptacles; the particles in each of the receptacles being substantially all of the same size regardless of their difference in specific gravity.

Another object of our i relation is to provide a continuously moving,roughened sizing surface or deck having a constantly changing inclination away from the point of feed upon which the ceinminuted material is delivered and from which the particles of the eoinuiinuted material are discharged according to their size; means being provided for agitating the sizing surface so as to cause the particles thereon to be agitated. whereby the particles will gravitate at diiierent rates of speed according to their size radially oi the sizing surface from which they can be discharged into receptacles.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which the comminutcd material will be prevented trcm accumulating at the point of delivery uppn the sizing surface thereby overcoming the diilieulties now existing with separators of tliisl-lni m-ter.as the apgi ltion 0t pulverulent material uiion a tablewhieh is not continuallv in inhtion. causes the liner particle-S thereof to heroine more. thoroughly packed and prevents the more granular particles froni inoviu in order to properly size the n'iateri l.

Another and further object of the invenof and ap tion is to provide a process and apparatus by means of which, a greater amount or material can be sized in a given time than with other classes of sizing machines, and the cost of sizmg per ton, is greatly reduced.

Another and further object of the inverr tlon is to provide a process and apparatus by means of which, comminuted materialhaving partielesdifiering in size to a great extent, can be classified. That 1s, large particles as well as pulverent material from the crusher can be delivered upon the continucusly moving sizing surface rind when discharged therefr-em into the respective receptacles, the particles in one receptacle will be substantially of the same size: that is. particles of material of low speeifilz'gravity of a certain size will be deposited with particles of high specific gravity of the same size, and so on throughoutthe classification. The pulverulent material adhering to the continuously moving surface is discharged after the larger particles have been discharged into a separate receptacle and can be separated if the 'same'contains minerals of value.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus for sizing or classifying material in which screens of all kinds are dispensed with, thereby overcoming the difliculties now existing with screen sizers and at thesame time, a classifying surface is produced which is not subjected to the sliding action of the material being sized,

thereby reducing the frictional wearon'the surface, which is the main diliiculty with a screen classifier used for screening pulverulent material. as the life of the screen when operat ng upon certain classes of material is very short and as the cost of the screen has to be considered in connection with the cost of classifying ore, it will be seen that by providing a classifying surface which is not subjected to wear to any extent, the cost of classifying eonuninuted material is greatly reduced.

Ne are aware that we are not the first in the art to provide a sizer or classifier in which the particles are classified according to their size by the movement of the particle upon a classifying" surface but in apparatuses of this character previously constructed. a classifying surface was given a projecting pulsation in order to cause the particles to be advanced thereon by a sliding action,

while with our apparatus, the agitation of the classifying surface does not allect the movement of the particles longitudinally upon the surface but causes the same by being agitated, to roll by gravity radially of the classifying surface and as the classifying surface is moved continuously, the particles are carried by the moving surface or deck longitudiiullly, when they are in the act of rolling radially and by timing the speed of movement of the classifying surface and regulating the pitch of the surface so as to cause the particles to travel by gravity at a certain rate of speed, a classifier can be produced which will thoroughly classify thecomminuted material delivered thereon at a high rate of speed and at a small cost, which is the main object to be accomplished in all classifiers now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roughened or corrugated classifying surface in order to form a resistance on the material without actually obstructing the flow of the particles by gravity radially across the surface, as it is a well-known fact that the larger articles when placed upon an inclined surf zice will travel at a higher rate of speed than the smaller particles, and our improved process and apparatus is carried out upon this fundamental principle.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawingsl*igure 1, is a side elevation of an apparatus for carrying out the process of sizing or classifying comminuted material, upon a roughened surface having a constantly changing inclination away from the point of feed; and Figs. 2 and 3, are diagrams of the apparatus showing the same arranged upon an oblique axis in order to arrange the conical class fying surface upon an inclination for the purpose of increasing the pitch of the surface away fromthe point of feed; the diagrami'natic lines Showing the ratio of the pitch to the size of the material being delivered upon the conical classifying surface. Fig. 4-, is a vertical section through the apparatus for carrying out the process of sizing" and classifying connninulod material; Figs. 5, (3 and 7 are plan views of conical classifying surfaces showing various forms of corrugations in order to carry out the process of sizing and classifying comminuted nmtcrial.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In constructing an apparatus for carrying out our process for classifying comminuled material upon a constantly changing inclined surface, we employ a base 1 having a central bearing 2 in which is mounted an obliquely arranged shaft 3 supported at its upper end by an arm 4 extend- 1 1,1:ie,eea

ing from the base 1 which is provided with a bracket arm 5 in which is mounted a driven shaft 6 provided with a pulley 7 over which the ower belt 8 passes.

The sha t G is provided with a beveled pinion 9 which meshes with a bevel gear 10 feathered upon the upper end of the shaft 3. as'clearly shown. Surrounding the shaft 3 and resting upon the bearing 2, is a collar 11 upon which is mounted a coil spring 12 for supporting a conical deck frame 13 provided with a hearing 14 at its upper end to receive the shaft, and said conical frame is provided with a roughened classifying surface deck 15 upon which, the comminuted material is adapted-to be delivered from a gate-controlled feed hopper 16 carried by the arm 4.

It will be seen that by arran ing the conical roughened classifying surface upon an incline as clearly shown, that the material fed from the hopper upon the same will be progressively sub ected to the force of gravity as the surface is revolved so as to increase the force from the point of feed in order to cause the finer or pulverent material to be discharged from the surface after the larger particles have been discharged therefrom.

In order to cause the conical frame carrying the roughened classifying surface to vibrate when the same is rotated through the medium of the bevel gear and drive pulley,

- we provide the arm 4 with a ratchet mem- /ber 17 whichco-acts with the companion ratchet member 18 carried by the obliquely arranged shaft 3, the teeth of which are so arranged that when the cone is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the same will he pushed downwardly against the tension .of the spring as the teeth ride over one another and the surface will he constantly vibrated so as to cause the conm'iinuted material delivered upon the classifying surface to move radially.

While we have shown and described a particular form of mechanism for vibrating the classifying surfacei it is of course under I 1 stood that various 0t or forms of mechanisms could be employed to tlCCUll'llJliSll this result and we do not wish to limit ourselves to any particular mechanism for causing the classifying surface to vibrate when it is being rotated. It is also of course understood that various other driving mechanism can be employed and while we have shown a top drive in connection with this form of apparatus for carrying out our improved process of classifying comminuted material,

we do not wish to limit ourselves to any exact construction of apparatus, as the fundamental principle of the invention-is to provide a conical classifying surface with a constantly changing inclination in, order to progressively increase the pitch, of incline? it"? a tion of the surface away from the point of feed so as to increase the effect of the force of gravity upon the comminuted material on the surface from the point of feed.

The base 1 is provided with radial arms 19 carrying a circular apron above which is arranged a circular bar 21 for holding the spacing or separating lingers in their adjusted position in o 'der to size the material into various sizes as the same is dis charged radially from the conical separating surface. While we have shown this particular form of apron used in connection with a conical classifying surface, it is of course understood that suitable receptacles, not shown can be arranged to receive the material discharged therefrom without do parting from the spirit of our invention and We do not wish to limit ourselves to any particular fornrof collecting means to be used in connection with this invention.

In order to clearly illustrate the travel of the particles of connninuted material upon a constantly increasing inclined classifying surface, the diagrammatic views as shown in Figs. 5. and are presentml in which the cone is inclined for the purpose of increasing the pitch or inclination of a surface away from the point of feed of the comminuted material and in these figurcs, 9 indicates the feed hopper; 16 and 3 the obliquely arranged supporting shaft of the cone; a vertical line being indicated by 152. The diagrammatic lines show the ratio of this pitch to the size of the material on the cone and taking line 151 as the base line in connection with the vertical line 152, the line 142 shows the degree of slope of the cone at the feed. As the material gets liner, the slope of the cone by its inclination gets deeper until we reach the line 150 which represents the point when the finer particles of the material are delivered from the surface. This increases the pitch of the cone and facilitates the delivery of the finer comminuted material and as in all of r cases, the shading'unon these figures shows the travel of the material noon the cone when the cone is I'C'\'(.l\ ing and being agitated.-

In Figswoto 7, we show various forms of classifying surfaces 100 for the conical apparatus in which the corrugations or roughened surfaces are arrangen soas to ac commodate different grades of material and l 'WlHlC we have shownthcse forms as preferred types of surfaces, we do not wish to limit ourselves. 'as other forms of corrugations. running in different directions can be used without departing from the spirit of our invention.

While we have shown and described a particular form of apparatus for carrying out the process of sizing rr classifying coinrninuted material according to the size of the particles regardless of the specific gravity thereof, we wish'it to be clearly understood that various other forms of apparatus can be used for carrying out our improved process without departing fron'rthe spirit of'our invention as the fundamental principles of this invention are a continuously moving inclined roughened surface upon which conr niinnted material is delivered and carried by the moving surface away from the point of feed; the surface being agitated so as to cause the particles to travel transversely of the moving surface by gravity upon the-in-' clined surface according to their size, whereby all of the particles of "the con'nninuted material will be sized and classified which are of any size and are affected by gravity,

the pnlverulent material being discharged from the surface ticlcs of any size.

We claim: Y

separately from the parl. The process of sizing coniniinuted material, coi'itaining particles of diiferdnt sizes, consisting in continuously moving vand agitating said material when in dry condition, subjecting said material to the force of {.Z'ravity to cause said material to move in:

lines deviating from the continuous movement of said material at angles proportionate to their sizes, varying the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, exerting a resistanc on. said material against the force of gravity,

and ticles. The process of sizing comminuted maseparately collecting the thus sized par terial, containing particles of different sizes, 1

consistingin continuously moving and agitilting said material when in dry condition, sulncctmg said material to the force of gravity to cause said material to move in lines deviating from the continuous movement of ing support, causing the particles to gravitally deviate from the line of normal movement, varying-the force resisting the rospoip siveness of the particles to the force of gravity, retarding said gravital deviation and so proportioning the forces that the deviation shall be proportionalto the size of the respective particles, and separately collecting thethus sized particles.

d. The process of sizing a mass of comminnted material, consisting in subjecting a mass of material containing particles of difrow s ze

ferent sizes in dry condition, to a continuous movement in one direction upon a continuously moving support, causing the'particlcs to gravitally deviate from the line of normal movement of the material, var ing the force resistii'ig the responsiveness o the 1iarticles to the force of gravity, retarding said gravital deviation causing the particles to travel contiguously, and so proportioning the forces that the deviationshall be proportional to the size of the respective particles, and separately collecting the-thus sized particles.

5. The process of sizing a mass of naterial, consisting in continuously moving said material in one direction, agitating said material, subjecting said material vto the force of gravity at an angle to the continuous movement of the material, varying the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, causing the diil'crent components of the mass to travel contiguously according to the size of the particles. thereof at different rates of speed,

in lines deviating from the line of continuous movement of said material, and separately collecting the thus sized particles.

6. The process of sizing a mass of comminuted material, consisting in continuously moving the mass of material away from the point of feed in one direction, subjecting the mass to the force of gravity, varying the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, exerting a re sistance to the mass of particles in their movement by gravity causing the unpulverized particles to travel contiguously in lines deviating from the line of normal movement of the pulvcrulent material at angles proportionate to their sizes, and separately collecting the so sized particles.

7. The process of sizing a mass of material, consisting in feeding said material to a continuously moving supporting surface, subjecting said material to the force, of gravity when on said surface, varying the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, agitating said material upon said surface, exerting a deflecting resistance to said material on said support against the force of gravity to cause the components of said material to travel at angles to the continuous movement. against the resistance, the resistance and components of motion due to gravity, being proporticnecl to the size of the particles, and separately collecting the thus sized particles.

8. The process of sizing a mass of com minured material, consisting in feeding said material onto a continuously moving supporting surface havinc a surface constantly changing in inclination to subject the mass of particles thereon to the force of gravity, gradually increasing in force from the point roughened supporting surface ha ring a coustantly changing inclination, agitating said supporting surface and causing the components of said mass to deviate from the line of normal movement at angles proportionate to their sizes, and separately collecting the so sized particles.

10. The process of sizing a mass of com; minuted material, consisting in feeding said material when in dry condition upon an in clined continuously moving surface having a constantly changing inclination, progressively subjecting said material upon said surface to the force of gravity, reducing the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles t0 the force of gravity from the point of feed, agitating said particles when upon said surface, to cause the particles to gravitate thereon, exerting a resistance to said particles upon said surface in their movement by gravity, and separately collecting the thus slzed particles.

11. The process of "zing a mass of material, consisting in feeding saidmatcrial onto a continuously moving supporting surface, subjecting said material to the force of gravity when on said surface, gradually decreasing the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, agitating said material upon said surface, exerting a deflecting resistance to said material on said surface against the force of gravity, and separately collecting the thus sized particles.

12. The process of sizing a mass of niaterial, consisting in feeding said material upon an inclined continuously moving roughened surface, agitating said material upon said surface to aid the movement of said material by gravity, gradually decreasing. the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, and causing the granular particles thereof to move in lines deviating proportionately to their sizes, from the line of movement of the material, and separately collecting the thus sized particles and the pulverulent material.

'13. In a machine for sizing solid material, a longitudinally progressing 1lll[)('l'fO-,

rated separating surface having a constantly changing inclination, mechanism for unparting agitative movement thereto, means to feed unsized material to said surface, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

1 In a machine for sizing solid material, a laterally inclined and longitudinally progressing Jiinp'e'rforatcd separating surface having a constantly changinginclination away from the point of feed, mechanism for imparting agitative movement thereto, means to feed unsiz'ed material to said surface, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

15. In'a machine for sizing solid material, a laterally'inclined and longitudinally progressing imperforated separating surface, mechanism for imparting agitative movementathereto, to cause the particles to gravi: tate thereon, means for varying the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, means to feed unsized material to said surface, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

16. In a machine for sizing solid material, a laterally inclined and longitudinally progressing separating surface, means to feed unsized material to said surface, mechanism for imparting agitative movement thereto, to cause the particles-to gravitate thereon, means for gradually decreasing the force resisting the responsiveness of the particles to the force of gravity, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

17. In a machine for sizing solid material, an obliquely arranged conical classifying surface having an outwardly inclined surface, means for feeding unsized material to said surface, means for continuously revolving said surface in one direction, means for agitating said surface to cause the particles of said mass to gravitate toward the base of said surface, and means to collect the difl'erent grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

18. A machinefor sizing solid material, comprising a base, a shaft extending obliquely from said base, a support for the upper end of said shaft, a frame carried by said shaft, a roughened classifying surface mountediupon said frame having an outwardly inclined. surface, means to feed unsized material to said surface ad acent the upper portion of said surface, means for driving said shaft continuously in one direction, means for agitating said classifying surface to cause the particles to gravitate thereon and means for separately collecting the different grades of sized material discharged from the outer edge of said surface.

19. A machine for sizing solid material, comprising a base having a shaft extending obliquely therefrom, a su port for the upper end of said shaft, a rate et carried by said support, a classifying surface carried by said shafthaving ancutwardly inclined surface, a ratchet carried by said shaft cooperating with the first-mentioned ratchet, means for revolving said shaft, means for feeding unsized material to said surface adjacent the shaft, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface. a

20. In a machine for sizing solid material, the combination with a base having an arm extending therefrom, of an inclined shaft revolubly mounted upon said base supported by said arm, driving mechanism for said shaft, agitating mechanism for said shaft, a conical classifying surface carried by said shaft having an outwardly inclined roughened surface,'ineans to feed nriized material to said surface, and means for collecting the different grades of sized material discharged from the outer edge of said surface. 1

21. A, machine for sizing solid material, comprising a base, an obliquely arranged spring-supported shaft mounted in said base, a support forthe upper end of said shaft, a ratchet carried by-said support, a ratchet carried by said shaft cooperating with the first-mentioned ratchet, means for driving said shaft continuously inone direction, aconical classifying surface mounted upon said shaft having an outwardly inclined surface, a hopper afi anged to deliver comminuted material upon said classifying surface adjacent the point thereof, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

22. A machine for sizing solid material, comprising a base having a bearing, a shaft mounted in said bearing and extending obliquely therefrom, a conical classifying surface carried by said shaft having an out- Wardly inclined surface, means for feeding unsized material to said surface adjacent the point thereof, means for agitating said surface, means for exerting a resistance to said means for separately collecting the difierent grades of sized material discharged from ,said surface. 1

23. In a machine for sizing solid material, the combination With a conical classifying surface mounted upon an obliquely arranged axis, means for revolving said classifying surface to constantly change the inclination thereof, means for agitating said surface, ahopper arranged to deliver comminuted ma terial upon said surface at a point opposite to the point of greatest inclination, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

2 In a machine for sizing solid material, the combination with a base having a hear ing, a shaft mounted in said bearing antler:-

ending obliquely therefrom, a frame fixed on said shaft, a conical rou hened classifying an face mounted upon saiciframe having an on iwardly inclined surface, a hopper for delivering,comminuted material in unsized condition upon said surface, means for rotating said surface, means for agitating said surface. during its rotation, and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

25, In a sizing apparatus, the combination with n continously moving transversely in clined progressing separating surface, of means for feeding material upon said surface adjacent its upper edge, means for varying the force resistm" the responsiveness of the particles to the three of gravity, means for exerting a resistance to said material in its movement by gravity adapted to retard the material without stopping the same in its movement by gravity, means for vibrating said supporting surface to modify said resistance, and means for collecting the sized particles.

26. An apparatus for sizing comminuted material. comprising, a laterally inclined and longitudinally progressing separating surface. provided with resistance means ar ranged at an angle to the inclination thereof adapted to retard without stopping the movement of the dry pulverulent material by gravity, means for varyin the force resisting the responsiveness of t e particles to the force of gravity, means for vibrating said surface, and means for collecting the ruaoea I force of gravity in the continuous movement of said surface, said surface having a rough ened sizing surface for exerting a resistance to the dry material adapted to retard with out stopping, the movement of the material in its movement by gravity, means for vibrating said surface to modify the resistance, and'means for separately collectin the dif ferent grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

28. In a machine for sizing solid material, a laterally inclined and longitudinally progressing separating surface, provided with a progressively increasing inclination away from the point of feed, mechanism for imparting agitative movement thereto. and means to collect the different grades of sized material discharged from said surface.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signir tures in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY M. SUTTOX. WAljlllll Ii. Sllilillli. EDWIN G. STEELE.

Witnesses:

W. E. Haynes, S. H. Arroway, 

